Habitat Occupancy and Influence of Abiotic Factors on the Occurrence of Nyctibatrachus major (Boulenger) in Central Western Ghats, India

K. V. Gururaja, A. H. Manjunatha Reddy, J. Keshavayya, S. V. Krishnamurthy

Abstract


Habitat feature and influence of abiotic factors on the occurrence of Nyctibatrachus major in the streams of central Western Ghats was studied by comparing microhabitat variables of the streams inhabited and those streams not inhabited by frogs. The study reveals the requirement of low concentration of carbon dioxide, alkalinity and high concentration of dissolved oxygen under low air, water and soil temperatures. Further, analysis of abiotic factors and density of the frog reveals that concentration of carbon dioxide in water directly influences on the occurrence of the species, while other factors in combinations determines the suitability of the habitat.

Keywords


habitat; Nyctibatrachus major; abiotic factors; Western Ghats; India

Full Text:

PDF

References


Allen S. E., Grimshaw H. M., Parkinson J. A., and Quarmby C. (1974), Chemical Analysis of Ecological Material, Oxford, Blackwell Scientific Publication.

American Public Health Association (1991), Standard Methods for Examination of Water and Wastewater, 14th edition, New York.

Biodiversity Conservation Prioritization Programme-Conservation Assessment Management Plan (1998), «Amphibians of India», in: S. Molur, and S. Walker (eds.), Zoo Outreach Organisation, CBSG India, p. 102.

Corsetti L. (1999), «Habitat charecteristics of the spectacled salamander Salamandrina terdigitata (Lacepede, 1788) in southern Latium (Central Italy)», Amphibia–Reptilia, 20, 77 – 82.

Daniels R. J. R. (1992), «Geographical distribution patterns of amphibians in the Western Ghats India», J. Biogeogr., 19, 521 – 529.

Denton J. S. and Beebee T. J. C. (1996), «Habitat occupancy by juvenile Natterjack Toads (Bufo calamita) on grazed and un-grazed heathland», Herpetol. J., 6, 49 – 52.

Diller L. V. and Wallace R. L. (1999), «Distribution and habitat of Ascapus truei in streams on managed, young growth forests in north coastal California», J. Herpetol., 33, 71 – 79.

Dunsen W. A. and Travis J. (1991), «The role of abiotic factors in community organization», Am. Naturalist, 138, 1067 – 1091.

Feller G. M. and Freel K. L. (1995), A Standardized Protocol for Surveying Aquatic Amphibians. Technical report. NPS/WRUC/NRTR 95-01.

Grover M. C. (1998), «Influence of cover and moisture on abundance of the terrestrial salamanders Plethodon cinereus, Plethodon glutinosus», J. Herpetol., 32, 489 – 497.

Gupta B. K. (1998), «Declining amphibians», Curr. Sci., 75, 81 – 84.

Hale S. M. and Guyer C. (2000), «Effect of air temperature and depth on burrows of red hill salamander (Phaeognatus hubrichti)», Herpetol. Nat. Hist., 7, 87 – 90.

Inger R. F., Shaffer H. B., Koshy M., and Bakde R. (1984), «A report on a collection of amphibians and reptiles from Ponmudi, Kerala, South India», J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 81, 406 – 427.

Krishnamurthy S. V. (1996), «Habitat features of amphibians in Sringeri, Western Ghats», Zoos’ Print, 8, 2 – 6.

Krishnamurthy S. V. (1997), «Nyctibatrachus major in Malnad, India», Froglog, 20, 2.

Krishnamurthy S. V. (1999), «Amphibian diversity in a few selected environs of Western Ghats», in: S. A. Hussain and K. P. Achar (eds.), Bio-Diversity of the Western Ghats Complex of Karnataka. Resource Potential and Sustainable Utilization, Mangalore, Bio-diversity Initiative Trust, pp. 107 – 118.

Krishnamurthy S. V., Gururaja K. V., and Manjunatha Reddy A. H. (2001), «Nyctibatrachus major (Large Wrinkled Frog) feeding habits», Herpetol. Rev., 32, 182.

Krishnamurthy S. V. and Hussain S. A. (2000), «Amphibian fauna of Kudremukh National Park, Western Ghats, India», J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 97, 436 – 439.

Krishnamurthy S. V. and Katre Shakuntala (1993), «Amphibian fauna of Sringeri Taluk (Chikkamagalore District: Karnataka)», J. Indian Inst. Sci., 73, 443 – 452.

Krishnamurthy S. V., Katre Shakuntala, and Ravchandra Reddy S. (1992), «Structure of the femoral gland and habitat features of an endemic anuran, Nyctibatrachus major (Boulenger)», J. Indian Inst. Sci., 72, 385 – 393.

Krishnamurthy S. V., Manjunatha Reddy A. H., and Gururaja K. V. (2001), «A new species of frog in the genus Nyctibatrachus (Anura: Ranidae) from the Western Ghats of India», Curr. Sci., 80, 887 – 891.

Myers M., Mittermeier R. A., Mittermeier C. G., da Fonseca G. A. B., and Kent J. (2000), «Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities», Nature, 403, 853 – 858.

Olsen D. H., Leonard W. P., and Bury R. B. (1997), Sampling Amphibians in Lentic Habitats, North West Fauna 4.

Pillai R. S. (1978), «On Nyctibatrachus major (Boulenger) with a description of its tadpole», Bull. Zool. Surv. India, 1, 135 – 140.

Pillai R. S. (1986), «Amphibian fauna of silent valley, Kerala, S. India», Rec. Zool. Surv. India, 84, 229 – 242.

Pyke G. H. and White A. W. (1996), «Habitat requirment for the green and golden bell frog Litoria aurea (Anura: Hylidae)», Australian Zoologist, 30, 224 – 232.

Seebached F. and Alford R. A. (1999), «Movement and microhabitat use of a terrestrial amphibian (Bufo marinus) on a tropical island: seasonal variation and environmental correlates», J. Herpetol., 33, 208 – 214.

Sugalski M. T. and Claussen D. L. (1997), «Preferences for soil moisture, soil pH and light intensity by the salamander, Plethodon cinereus», J. Herpetol., 31, 245 – 250.

Sutherland W. J. (1997), Ecological Census Techniques. A Handbook, Cambridge Univ. Press, UK.

Welsh H. H., Jr., and Lind A. J. (1995), «Habitat correlates of the Del Norte salamander Plethodon elongatus (Caudata: Plethodontidae), in Norhtwestern California», J. Herpetol., 29, 198 – 210.

Welsh H. H., Jr., and Lind A. J. (1996), «Habitat correlates of southern torrent salamander Rhycotriton variegatus (Caudata: Rhyacotritonidae) in Norhtwestern California», J. Herpetol., 30, 386 – 398.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.30906/1026-2296-2003-10-2-87-92

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.



You can subscribe to the print or electronic version of the journal on the site of EastView Company. If you have any questions, please write to the email sales@ivis.ru